Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Specific Difficulties in Learning Maths can be independent of, or in conjunction with Dyscalculia. Research suggests that around 60% of people with a specific learning disorder will also be affected by one or more additional disorder, which can make identification of the root causes of Maths difficulties difficult to pin point. The following symptoms may have some overlap with Dyscalculia but attempt to highlight the possible mathematical difficulties due to the uniqueness of this condition.
ASD Students have a triad of difficulties involving social interaction, social communication and imaginative thought. While some students may excel in Maths others will find it very difficult to understand and learn.
Symptoms may include:
- Difficulty counting-on from a number other than 1
- Difficulty in generalising concepts
- Finding it difficult to see the connection between equipment and maths it is supposed to represent
- Finding the language of Maths difficult
- Finding it difficult to see the links between related areas of Maths (i.e. addition/subtraction)
- Being over-precise in areas such as measurement
- Recognising a shape that has been rotated as the same shape
- Difficulty in understanding a 2d representation of a 3d shape
- Difficulty in reading and understanding charts and graphs